Bakkoi wrote:I haven't tried their matcha, but I am tempted to try their Sayamamidori in my next order. Has anyone tried it?

Absolutely. I REALLY like the sayamamidori. It's got a fantastic aftertaste. Really bold flavour all around. Probably my favourite shincha I've tried this year because it's so unique. And don't get me started on the smell in a preheated kyusu! Yum.

That means we never participate in affiliate marketing (never have done and never will do), have no affiliation or ties to any other tea companies, and most certainly do not have any form of undisclosed relationships or agreements with shady tea forum moderators/leaders/members, review spamming tea bloggers & reviewers etc., a number of whom are merely working on media platforms to hype up teas for vendors and trying to pass them off on customers for one benefit or another, and in some cases even try to damage vendor reputation by resorting to the manufacturing of false and malicious negative reviews/stories, or long-term smear campaigning on tea forums etc. when a vendors rejects their offers or is seen by them as a competitor.

I'm wondering if they're referring to their experience with you? I was thinking about ordering from them, but if what you say is true, I'll definitely not be doing business with them. I've been debating between Zencha, O-Cha, and Yuuki-Cha, because of their prices, but now YC seems to be off my list.

sencha wrote:Chip, I just noticed this on Yuuki-cha's "about us" page:

That means we never participate in affiliate marketing (never have done and never will do), have no affiliation or ties to any other tea companies, and most certainly do not have any form of undisclosed relationships or agreements with shady tea forum moderators/leaders/members, review spamming tea bloggers & reviewers etc., a number of whom are merely working on media platforms to hype up teas for vendors and trying to pass them off on customers for one benefit or another, and in some cases even try to damage vendor reputation by resorting to the manufacturing of false and malicious negative reviews/stories, or long-term smear campaigning on tea forums etc. when a vendors rejects their offers or is seen by them as a competitor.

I'm wondering if they're referring to their experience with you?

You forgot the last line: "We have, and will continue to, reject all approaches and requests from these malicious individuals."

For a company to put such nonsense on its website is amazing.

Regardless of whether Chip is the object of these comments or not, they are very unprofessional and inappropriate, and reflect poorly on the owner (s).

whats the big deal? You highlighted a small portion of the about us page and I don't see a direct attack on anyone specific. That thing has been up for ages. It is just a statement about how their are insiders who hype up their own affiliations and defame other competitors. This is an unfortunate part of business but it happens.

Whatever else you choose to read into it is based on what you 'want' to think about yuuki-cha (either from your own experiences, or someone else's like Chip that you have read on this forum).

So to aid in the painting of a fuller picture, I'll just say I have always enjoyed drinking tea from yuukicha and just wish everyone to drink good tea and forget about the silliness of our pasts, whether we were the wronged or the wrong-doer.

teaisme wrote:Whatever else you choose to read into it is based on what you 'want' to think about yuuki-cha (either from your own experiences, or someone else's like Chip that you have read on this forum).

My comments were a reflection of what was actually said, not on what I "read" into them. Perhaps I should have elaborated in my original post. I will do so now.

I have 2 objections to the comments quoted in Yuuki-cha's "About Us" section.

First, this is no place to air grievances against customers, forum moderators, or any other individuals. It is to explain what the company is about. But, if you *must* criticise others, then the comments should be specific as to name, date, content, etc., and provide appropriate rebuttals.

Second, the language used is highly unprofessional. Terms such as "shady tea forum moderators", "malicious negative reviews", "long-term smear campaigning" , "malicious individuals", etc. are designed to inflame, and create resentment and/or sympanthy. No facts are given, no arguments offered.

No, I have never tried their teas, and I have no desire to do so. There are numerous other companies who have great teas *and* who conduct themselves in a professional manner. Perhaps I am in a minority when it comes to such views. If that is the case, so be it.

sencha wrote:Chip, I just noticed this on Yuuki-cha's "about us" page:

That means we never participate in affiliate marketing (never have done and never will do), have no affiliation or ties to any other tea companies, and most certainly do not have any form of undisclosed relationships or agreements with shady tea forum moderators/leaders/members, review spamming tea bloggers & reviewers etc., a number of whom are merely working on media platforms to hype up teas for vendors and trying to pass them off on customers for one benefit or another, and in some cases even try to damage vendor reputation by resorting to the manufacturing of false and malicious negative reviews/stories, or long-term smear campaigning on tea forums etc. when a vendors rejects their offers or is seen by them as a competitor.

I'm wondering if they're referring to their experience with you? I was thinking about ordering from them, but if what you say is true, I'll definitely not be doing business with them. I've been debating between Zencha, O-Cha, and Yuuki-Cha, because of their prices, but now YC seems to be off my list.

That is quite priceless. With a teeny tiny margin of error, I am 99.99% certain Dan of Yuuki-Cha is referring to yours truly. And I do mean truly as only one of us is telling the truth and the other is lying. The last line quoted by sherubtse seals the deal. I guess that is his reply to all my correspondence.

BTW, that "about us" was all added in the post incident era!!!

Believe it or not, that is an attack on my credibility to which I do take offense, especially since I have written Dan of Yuuki-Cha ten times with zero response. Make your own judgements ... I make mine and I base my allegations on facts which I have documented. Dan is just taking wild and vague potshots as ill conceived damage control to this incident/topic.

Oddly, that "about us" is as close to any response to my now more than 10 attempts to correspond with Dan of Yuuki-Cha.

It is pretty hard to forget such infractions. Holding customer's funds and refusing to disclose reasons for such actions are certainly "malicious" on Yuuki-Cha's part. Plus I am often reminded by others that they are paying customers (as I was more than once) who have received their orders while I have not more than once for reasons I have stated at length previously.

I could say, TeaChat is a victim as well as we were working on preOTTI program and I partner ordered for me and members of TeaChat. And since the s**t hit the fan right here on TeaChat when Dan tested me with that alias PM, I take my complaints to this venue.

So, here you go, Dan is the "shady" one, I make my allegations pointed and crystal clear because I can, Dan of Yuuki-Cha cannot because he has built his case on a house of cards which tumbles at the slightest puff of viewing of facts.

You can choose to ignore, forgive his transgressions as you choose. However I cannot order. However I cannot drink his tea. However I have no choice but to be concerned for others who may fall victim. However I suspect that to a degree Dan has learned something from all this but his tEaGO prevents him from admitting his shameful behavior and to apologize. Instead he adds insult to injury.

Until Dan of Yuuki-Cha chooses to respond to me PERSONALLY, I consider the case ... not closed and not resolved. It is not over. You may think I am being silly ... but rest assured I am most earnest and sincere on this matter which I take most seriously.

I apologize to the members who enjoy Yuuki-Cha's teas, who must repeatedly hear about this. But until it happens to you, you have no idea ...

The ironic thing is, I am oft accused of being "pro-vendor" so to speak. It is true, I go out of my way to promote vendors and even defend vendors in the face of baseless attacks. I consider myself a friend to many vendors. Before this, I considered Dan of Yuuki-Cha to be a new TeaFriend. How wrong I was.

Right before this happened with Yuuki-Cha, I was in early stages of promoting Yuuki-Cha (before Yuuki-Cha was even called Yuuki-Cha)!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yuuki-Cha did themselves a grave inservice.

Where are the other testimonials from customers that have had a negative experience with this vendor? Guess I'm just lucky, but I've yet to have any problem with a Japanese vendor (can't say the same about Chinese vendors).

The father in Doistievski's, THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV, explains why he abuses one man whenever he sees him, "One day for no reason, I insulted him, and from then on I've hated him."
Sometimes, somehow someone chooses to be nasty to an individual though perhaps he is quite nice to everyone almost always. Unlike the novel, it is not explained usually & for good reason: the origin of the dispute is absurd.
Teachat is great. Hope nothing gets too divisive.
Cheers.

Ethan, I hold no grudge against any TeaChatters. I don't even hold a grudge against Dan of Yuuki-Cha. However that does not mean I can simply dismiss his actions.

Thank you for the interesting quote.

Noesis ... technically, this is not a Japanese vendor.

This is a Western (England) vendor operating in Japan.

As "honorable" as that "about us" may sound at first glance to those not knowing, this vendor was awefully chummy with me when he knew who I was and perhaps thought I would not give an honest opinion against a couple of his products ... that I would just say nice things if asked.

The character father Karamazov, is a buffoon easily seen as capable of wronging someone on a whim; &, for me in this, = Dan of Yu.....
Unfortunately, Dan, as a real person, not a buffoon of literature, commands respect from many who are not a victim of his words or actions. So one is tempted to want reason to take over....

What I've come to feel for myself, is that motives of an individual do not matter, when he is making me his victim. In the larger scheme of life, it is God (so to speak, "fate", whatever you like) playing the buffoon. I would be pitiable, to protest God's joke on me; thus, I don't care to correct the Dans of this world, or the impressions of some who think that I misunderstand the Dans or the situations.

In this case, as sherubtse pointed out, what the hell is the diatribe doing in the "about us" section. Obviously, buffoonery, for lack of a better word, is prevailing. This is not close to a funny joke; it is nasty. But one is stuck in buffonery, if one wants to fix it, or people's impressions.

I'd choose to avoid Yu... Dan....& their tea, like crossing the street when walking to avoid going by a suspicious character, but if others worry about misjudging the guy who shouts & spits occasionally....

I will be posting an "official" announcement regarding Yuuki-Cha/Dan on behalf of another member shortly ... I would advise members of TeaChat to check it out as it pertains to a degree to all members. Or at least potentially ...

I will be posting an "official" announcement regarding Yuuki-Cha/Dan on behalf of another member shortly ... I would advise members of TeaChat to check it out as it pertains to a degree to all members. Or at least potentially ...